Handmade Valentine Gift for Him: Cement Valentines

Try this handmade Valentine gift for him — DIY cement hearts! It’s an unusual material that creates a fun, modern take on a gift for your Valentine.

I suppose I could start this post off with some really terrible pun about setting your love in stone this Valentine’s Day, but I won’t do that. (See what I did there?)

Instead I’m just gonna say that these little DIY cement valentines are rad.

Psst — if cement isn’t your scene, try these other Valentine’s Day ideas!

• Printable Valentine For Kids // Heart Glasses
• Easy Valentine Craft // Clay Heart Pins with a Printable Card
• Valentine Balloon Messages
• Dinosaur Valentine Craft Idea
• Valentine Decor Idea // DIY Paint Chip Garland
• DIY Valentine Garland for Gifts or Decor

I’m really enjoying working with cement these days, and every time I use it I’m surprised by how easy it is. We’ve used the stuff before, but this time we’ll be doing a little variation on the process. Let’s make some valentines!

Working With Quick Dry Cement for Crafting

Be sure to thoroughly read the instructions on your quick-dry cement packaging, especially if you’re using a brand other than Cement-All. Our instructions here apply to Cement-All specifically, as that’s the material that I am most familiar with when it comes to cement for crafting.

It’s important to have all of your materials prepped and ready before you mix your cement, as it starts to dry right away once you mix the water and start stirring.

It also may be a good idea to make a test batch first, to get a feel for how your cement mixes, and the consistency that you like to work with. Try a small batch and try it out in your particular mold.

My Favorite Molds for Crafting Cement

These days there are so many fun molds to use in crafting and candy making! I find that the silicone molds used for ice cubes, candy making, and soap making are perfect when using cement for crafting.

Make sure that you find a mold made of silicone so that it’s flexible enough to pop the cement piece out once it’s dry.

You’ll also want a mold that’s not too flimsy or thin, as the cement tends to heat up during the drying process and a thin mold may not hold up. Most candy or ice molds (if good quality) will be plenty thick to handle the craft cement.

What You’ll Need to Create This Handmade Valentine Gift for Him

As you’re gathering your materials to create this handmade Valentine gift for him, keep in mind that you can add your own customizations to it!

I used a heart-shaped mold, but there are so many other fun molds that you could use. (I love the idea of spelling out something fun with an alphabet mold!)

You could also play with paint ideas, add gold leaf, or not paint your cement pieces at all!

Check out a fully linked list of our preferred materials below.

Materials

• Cement All
• heart-shaped silicone molds, similar here
• disposable cups
• stir sticks
• alphabet stamp set, similar here
•  black stamp pad
• optional: paintbrushes and craft paint
• optional: sandpaper

How to Make A Cement Heart Handmade Valentine Gift for Him

Make Time: 1 Hour (plus 1 hour setting time)

1. Start by prepping your materials. It’s important to have everything ready to go once you start mixing the cement, because this stuff dries fast. In your disposable cup, measure 12 tablespoons of Cement All (water to cement ratio is really crucial, so I recommend leveling off the tablespoons). Then measure in 3 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon of water. Stir immediately and vigorously, being sure to get rid of all dry chunks of cement.
2. Pour carefully into the molds and smooth the tops of the hearts (which will eventually be the bottoms) if needed. Set aside to dry for one hour. After one hour, carefully pop the hearts out of the molds. If desired, sand the bottoms of the hearts so that they’re smooth and flat.
3. If you’d like, paint your hearts with craft paint. Let dry and begin the stamping process.
4. To stamp, decide on a short word or two and get your stamps in order. Load ink onto the stamp from the black ink pad and be sure to practice first on a piece of scrap to get the feel of the stamp. Stamp the letters onto the center of a heart and let them dry thoroughly.

Run around on Valentine’s Day and hand them out to all of your buddies! They’re perfect because you can make them for your honey, or a friend, or your cute little niece.

I’d love to hear what you’d have your hearts say, too. And be sure to rate our DIY tutorial below if you try this one out! xoxo